Hu's in Charge?

A few minutes' walk from the chic shopping district in what was once Shanghai's French Concession, Dechang Road dead ends at an iron gate guarded by three men in military uniforms. Beyond stands a new, three-story brick house with tan stucco trim. Known to officials as the "Shanghai No. 1 Construction Project," the property is supposed to be the retirement home of Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin. During China's 16th Party Congress that concluded last week, Jiang, 76, became the first modern Chinese supremo to resign his position. He was expected to go off and peacefully build his library—or whatever Chinese...